When speaking of character development, most of us probably think about its application to fiction or creative non-fiction. As a writer of both prose and poetry, I enjoy the challenge of incorporating poetic attributes in my novels and borrowing elements of prose when writing poetry.

Fiction or memoir that stays with us is most often noted for its character development. If you think about some of your favorite reads, you will call to mind personalities that are “rounded” as opposed to “flat,” a concept discussed by E. M. Forster in Aspects of the Novel. Simply put, a round character is one who captures the reader’s interest because of his unpredictability, his complexity, and the changes he undergoes in the course of the story. As Forster puts it: “The test of a round character is whether it is capable of surprising in a convincing way.”

Photo Credit: David Lang, via Google Images

What are some of the tools available to use in creating sympathetic characters—that is, characters we can identify with and cheer for, in spite of defects that are very like our own?

Description:
Physical description—of course. But this is not always the most important factor. Other aspects of description include behavioral traits, choices, associations, dialogue patterns, predictable emotional responses, leisure time activities, likes and dislikes. Concrete sensory details, as well as narrative vignettes create patterns of character which can then be altered to surprise.

Tasks:
Lives unfold in the mundane. Accounts of everyday activities—work and home environments, hobbies and the like help to define a person. This supposes knowledge and perhaps research on the part of the poet or author. Learn about how your subject sepnds his time.

Vulnerability:
In order to empathize with a character, it’s important to include flaws or defects in addition to strengths. For example, who can identify with a hero who knows no fear in the face of danger?

This post could morph into a book, and there are plenty of resources out there to read about character development, so it’s probably time to look at how this might apply to our work as poets.

Let’s take a look at a classic poem by Edward Arlington Robinson (1896) that uses poetry to paint a picture of a man, Richard Cory, but also of the narrators: “we.”

Richard Cory
Whenever Richard Cory went down town,
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
‘Good-morning,’ and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich – yes, richer than a king –
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.

Public Domain

Because of the succinct format of poetry, a few brief descriptors serve to give us an overall impression of the man and his observers. But, it is not only what is said, but what is implied in the final line.

A lengthy poem by Robert Frost, The Death of the Hired Man is another fine example of character development…of Silas, the hired man, of Warren and Mary, the couple who took him in, and of Harold Wilson, another helping farmhand who is enamored with learning. Check it out if you have time.

Photo Credit: Agrarian Nation via Google Images

For todays prompt let’s write a poem that presents a character. Here are a few suggestions:

• Choose a well-known painting of a person, a personal photograph (or one in the public domain) and let your imagination take flight in an ekphrasis based on the character.
• Write a poem about a famous person or a fictional character who has affected you in some way.
• Create a composite of people you know. When I write fiction, I like to use character traits of persons I’ve encountered in my past. I usually combine them to make someone new…try to make them unidentifiable. People I’ve cared for in my nursing career and their families are rich fodder for my muse.
• Write about yourself. Walt Whitman did!

To participate:• Write your poem and post it on your blog or website.• Access Mr. Linky at the bottom of this post and fill in your name and the direct URL to your poem.• Visit and comment on the work of your fellow participants.• Have fun in the process.

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About Victoria C. Slotto

RN, former hospice nurse, kidney transplant survivor, spiritual seeker, novelist, poet—Victoria C. Slotto is the author of "Winter is Past," a novel published by Lucky Bat Books, available in e-book formats and print. Use the link on my blog or visit my website at http://victoriacslotto.com/ to purchase. Thank you!

This is really an excellent prompt Victoria- character is as important as any other element in the tools of the trade, and can often illustrate as well as metaphor, or better—it really deserves something a bit more in depth than what I’ve linked, but it was ready and seemed to fit. Thanks for hosting.

Thanks, Nat, “Twitterverse” is now a permanent part of my vocabulary. Victoria, I love the thought you put into this MTB challenge. I, too, put poetics into my prose, and often end up recycling prose as poetry, trimming lines, inserting language twists, insights, symbols. And character often has to carry the piece, soul before esoterics.

Ooh! This is great – I hope it’s ok that I link to a character poem I actually wrote earlier today? It’s not the most sympathetic of characters, but it seems to fit nicely to the prompt. I find it fascinating to explore characters and their personal narrative in poetry, so this is a great prompt for me. Thank you Victoria! :)

actually…just realized i headed out on the trail and forgot to say hello… this is a wonderful article victoria and much enjoyed the responses i read so far… here’s to another gorgeous MeetingTheBar night…

In a moment of serendipity, I wrote a short poem in response to Joan of Arc today. It doesn’t exactly fit this prompt, so I’ll refrain from adding it to Mr. Linky. But if anyone is interested, I’ll include the link here:

I’m doing quadruple duty with this poem that, I think, has character development. After all, it is a melodrama and not a farce, and there is a surprise or two. I’m keeping this prompt, too, to do another day–actually, many other days. It is a great way to get out of me!
Thank you, Victoria.

Well, I’ve had a go of it. All morning over my coffee, I was trying to think of who who who who to write. And I landed on someone unexpected while driving to work. Because “You’re a Big Girl Now” was playing and…you know how it goes sometimes… Cheers, folks! Have a weekend!